Inertia Creeps
by Lestats Cherie
Summary: Sister to Daniel Malloy, Christine, joins him on a visit to see his old friends Louis and Lestat. I'm not prepared to give anything else away, you'll just have to read the story to find out..


_Evil is a point of view.._

Daniel spoke these words to me in an attempt to calm my nerves and banish my harsh thoughts over meeting his two immortal friends. At first I had not believed a word of it, but when he played back the tape he'd recorded during his interview with Louis, it was impossible to doubt him. Of course, he had been through an awful lot over the years and most likely damaged his ability to think clearly, but there was just no denying he had met and spoken with a real life vampire. Over the last two or three hours, he had filled me in on everything he had stored in his brain that this vampire had told him. It was better to be safe than sorry, for when I would meet them this evening, knowing who they were was a necessity. Mind you, the only description he had given me was of Louis, the brunette who had a loving and caring disposition. He had yet to inform me of what to expect when meeting Louis' companion. All I received was a name, and word that he had not been in contact with Louis for more than half a century.

To me, that sounded almost as though they had grown apart or begun to dislike each other greatly. If that were true, visiting them both tonight was not the most appropriate plan of action. Nonetheless, my brother wished for me to explore the depths of hades with him, and I would not turn down such an offer, despite my ever present fear of the undead.

"Trust me, everything will be fine. Louis is not a bad guy once you get to know him, but I think you'll pick up on that straight away." Daniel said.

As he leaned toward me and looked into my eyes reassuringly, I gave a small sigh and nodded my head in acceptance. There was just no way of worming my way out of this one, and I could see all over his face just how much it would mean to him. He had called Louis his biggest success, and the only person who held such a powerful and touching story that would hopefully have his name up in lights once he'd put the pieces together and sold a few copies. People of all ages, nationalities and beliefs were interested in the possibility that there might be something more out there, compared to the life we already know. I had believed the same since a very young age, and clung to the hope that someday, we would be given answers. This, right now, if my brother was indeed being truthful and these two men were exactly what they claimed to be, would be all the proof myself and the world would need.

"Shall we then?" I said, standing and walking up the path toward the gloomy looking mansion.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Daniel crack a genuine smile at having persuaded me to tread into the devils lair, oblivious for the most part and scared out of my wits. Still, I held it together for him, and with a deep breath as he knocked on the huge wooden door, I prepared myself for an amusing sight. As we stood there waiting for someone to let us inside, thoughts of a man dressed in Victorian clothing and caked from head to toe in white make up invaded my mind. Despite the look of dread on my brothers face as he waited patiently beside me, he frowned when he noticed me holding back laughter.

"Now is not the time, Christine" he said, sternly.

Never had he been so cross with me before, and never had he looked so frightened before. He had failed to mention that he too was a little uncomfortable being around these men, and now that I saw his true colours, my amusement turned to ashes.

"I'm sorry" I said, reaching for his hand and squeezing it gently.

He simply smiled warmly and nodded his head before letting his hand drop down to his side once more. I followed suit and stood silently as footsteps approached the door. Whoever had come to let us in was surely wearing some rather loud heels. The clanking sound against marble flooring was like nailing a picture to a wall, with that infamous ringing that seemed to give you one hell of a headache that just wouldn't disappear for anything. As the door opened slowly, creaking as a dim light fell onto the porch in front of us, a shiver ran right up my spine.

"Welcome to Romanus Manor" a young woman greeted, holding the door ajar for us.

Daniel and I nodded our heads in thanks as we stepped into the beautiful building, allowing the young maid to take our coats from us. She lay them gracefully over one of her arms and told us to follow her through a long hallway. It seemed to last for miles until a thick French accent stopped us, including the maid, in our tracks. It seemed to echo throughout the whole manor but begged with such sweet delight that we join the owner of the mysterious voice inside the room it had come from. Turning to us, the maid directed us into a rather large library, but walked right through to another set of doors, leading into a dining room. My mouth dropped to the floor at how large a room it was. The table, no less, was almost the same width as the room itself, adorned with rose petals in ebony coloured bowls. I admired the decorative designs and smiled at my brother as he had wandered off behind the maid. It seemed, despite being here for business only more or less, he was far more intrigued by the beauty who had taken his coat from him only minutes ago.

I had to crack a smile at the idea of him looking rather taken back, almost as though he had never seen such a beautiful woman before, which in our town, was most likely very true. I sighed, walking alongside the walls and admiring the well crafted drawings and paintings that hung upon them. Though their whispered words were too faint for my ears to hear, a childish giggle from the young woman led me to believe my dear older brother was flirting shamelessly. He had some nerve, after begging me with his eyes earlier to remain professional when within the presence of such men, even if they were currently out of sight.

"Daniel, so pleased you could come along on such short notice. And who might this fine young lady be?" that same accent spoke, appearing out of thin air.

Startled, I had jumped back and almost knocked one of the paintings from the wall before steadying it with both hands. I turned around in shame, my cheeks tinted pink as I tried not to do or say anything stupid. The man who had spoken smiled at me and approached, holding out his hand toward me. As I looked down at his pale skin and the length of his fingernails, my mouth very nearly reached the floor again before finding its manners. I sealed my lips together as tight as I could, extending my hand and laying it in his, feeling the coldness as we shook and introduced ourselves. When he released my hand, I felt tingles run up my arm as though ice had seeped through his pores and into mine, and was now spreading over my body.

"Pleased to meet you, Christine" he said, walking over to the large window beside Daniel.

He greeted my brother with a very loving hug, which I found absolutely adorable and had to grin at. When Daniel looked at me over Louis' shoulder, he pulled tongues in that boyish way of his. I giggled, despite the company, and quickly hid it by turning around to admire further artwork.

The sound of deep conversation entered my ears, and as I turned in wonder at what the two men were talking about, Daniel gave me a little wave and informed me they would return in a little while. I nodded, even though I would rather tag along and not be left alone in such a creaky manor with shadows that lingered in every corner you passed. Finding the maid in the hallway just outside the dining room, I asked her if she could give me a little tour of their home. She looked bewildered for a moment, almost as though no one had ever dared approach her before, quite like she was not allowed to speak with anyone who entered this manor, beside her masters.

"Hey, don't worry so much. If anyone asks, just say I forced you" I said, winking at her.

For the first time since we had arrived, she gave me a very small smile, but it was as real as anything. I beamed at her as she grabbed my hand and pulled me up the winding staircase as though I was her best friend. Both of us shared a joke or two and laughed wholeheartedly as we sped through each room, with me stopping every once in a while to admire the décor.

I lost my grip on her hand as she sped through every hall and corridor like a mad woman, and my interest sprung to attention when she purposely passed by one room on the third floor. She paused in her steps and came bounding back toward me with a look of worry on her face. Before I could even ask her what was wrong, another heavily French accent reached my ears. Her face went from a beautiful caramel colour to a snowy white in a matter of seconds. I gulped, not wanting to dare look behind me, as her eyes tried to focus on mine and nothing else. I couldn't imagine it was Louis, for his aura simply oozed angelic kindness. The person behind me, who seemed to frighten the colour out of my new found friend, was clearly a man Louis seemed to worship; Lestat De Lioncourt. I gulped again, trying to soothe my dry and aching throat as I watched the maid take small steps back. A look of horror crossed my face as she turned her back on me and walked briskly down the hall and out of sight. Now that I was alone, with this stranger standing somewhere behind me, I felt all my fear return tenfold.

"Do not fear me, Chérie" he spoke.

My breath seemed to find a blockage somewhere in my throat as I spluttered whilst trying to respond to his words. I had not even glanced upon his person yet, but he seemed incredibly intimidating. Now, I was beginning to realise why Daniel had chosen to avoid telling me too much about him. As my thoughts captured my entire being, I failed to notice the warmth of an arm wrap itself around my waist.

"Such frightful thoughts from such a beautiful creature" he whispered.

His icy breath hit the back of my neck and seemed to banish the difficulty I'd been having with breathing, and my knowledge of the whereabouts of his arm was born. In any normal situation, I would have swung around with my fist and knocked out any man who would dare to touch me without permission, but this was no normal situation. This, was me standing with my guard down in the arms of a vampire. From the moment we had walked into this manor and been given the view of such splendour, as well as meeting with Louis, I knew that my brother had been telling the truth all along. Still, I could not shake the thoughts of immortality being nothing but a fairy tale, something highly unlikely and only vivid in ones imagination.

"Oh ma cher, you are so wrong" he whispered, again.

Through extensive reading and knowledge that even the most uneducated person would have, it was perfectly clear to me that he had invaded my thoughts. Rather than risk my voice cracking in fear, I spoke to him whilst he was inside my head, despite feeling like a crazy person.

His evil cackle rippled through strands of my hair and dove right into my ear. The sound was unnerving, as was his arm that still held me firmly against his chest. Against my back, I felt a very faint beat, and would never have guessed that immortals had such life inside of them. Intrigued for a moment, I bravely lifted his arm from around my waist and turned to face him. Having not been prepared to witness such beauty right before my eyes, I had to steady myself in case I fainted at the sight of him. He was absolutely beautiful, what with his wispy blonde locks that reached just past his shoulders, and his piercing blue eyes. It took all the strength I could muster to not stare longingly into their sky coloured wonder. I continued to look him over as I stepped back a little, allowing myself room to admire the entirety of him. All the while, a sly grin hung on his lips, and when he brightened that grin with a full blown smile, I gasped at the sharp fangs protruding from his mouth.

"You .. so it's true then? I would never have believed it, are they really real?" I asked, making an idiot out of myself as I stepped closer and reached out my hand.

"They are as real as the gleaming moon just outside my window" he said, grabbing my hand in his so I could not prick my finger.

I smiled a little, my eyes still hanging on their sharpness before he pulled me into the room I'd wanted to go into earlier. Looking around, I realised this must indeed be his room, for a rather large painting of himself hovered above a welcoming fireplace that emanated a tremendous amount of heat.

"Come, see its wonder" he said, standing on the balcony.

As I took small steps toward the balcony, watching him with my eyes as wide as anything, I became mesmerised by how his beauty sung out in the silence and moonlight surrounding him. He truly was a remarkable work of art, and my thoughts carried me away into a fantasy I only dreamed would come true.

"Someday, perhaps" he said, grinning at me and tossing me a wink as he grabbed my hand.

I made a mental note to avoid thinking delicate thoughts around him. If he knew too much too soon, he would probably want nothing more to do with me. Though, as we stood leaning against the railings of the balcony, admiring the gigantic form of the moon directly above us, a sense of peace washed over me. Perhaps, immortality was not such a bad thing after all. Perhaps, this vampire who had remained unknown to me for weeks on end, was in fact a close resemblance of his companion. To me, in the short time I had known him, he seemed almost identical to Louis where personality was concerned, though maybe a little more daring and courageous. I admired him already, and his beauty was breath taking.

"Your thoughts are so pure Chérie. Would you be interested in taking a midnight stroll through our gardens? Perhaps you could get to know me a little better" he asked, turning his attention to me.

I looked up longingly at the moon with my chin resting on my arms. He had to cough to gain my attention, but his question had not gone unnoticed. Blushing, I tried to hide the fact that his inhuman ability to read my thoughts was embarrassing, and nodded my head in agreement to a stroll through their rose garden.

"Lestat, how long have you and Louis known each other?" I asked, as we walked by a small lake.

"Oh, too long to remember" he answered, truthfully.

Nodding, I shuffled my feet as we walked on in silence for what felt like hours. The quietness of the garden and the gently swaying trees around us only added to the awkward atmosphere. I was starting to think that he would soon get bored of me if I did not open up to him soon.

"Your silence is relaxing, mon cher. You need not worry about going quiet on me. I tend to do enough talking for both Louis and our lovely maid day in and day out" he said, laughing loudly.

His laughter, yet another thing to add to my growing list of minor details I loved about him. As I ran through every bullet point in my head, going over and over each one and glancing at certain features on his person, he tossed me a look every now and then. Each time I looked at him after reading off something that I liked, he would catch my eyes with his and grin devilishly at me. My face flushed for the thousandth time as we finally reached the other side of the lake. The manor was no longer in view, and the light of the moon had faded because of the overgrown trees surrounding the water. I looked around in wonder, and could only just make out Lestat and his bright blue eyes as he stepped forward, his arm slipping around my waist again. Only, this time, he pulled me right up against his body until there wasn't even an inch between us.

His eyes travelled over my face briefly, landing on their desired location moments later. I followed his gaze and tried not to smile too much as they settled on my lips. His own were parted slightly, a look of hunger building in his shining eyes as he debated whether or not he wanted to have a taste.

"Lestat, bring Christine back inside, Yvette has prepared a meal for our guests" Louis called.

Pulling away harshly, Lestat hurriedly apologised for almost knocking me onto my behind as his arm so swiftly removed its grip from my waist. I laughed a little, cursing inwardly for the interruption. As I dared to look up at him to see if he had caught that last thought, the grin returned and I knew that would not be the last time he tried to commit such an act.

Upon entering the warmth of the manor once more, I was greeted with a huge hug from Daniel. It was as though he hadn't seen me in a lifetime, when in truth I had only been out in the gardens for no more than half an hour.

"Daniel, you simply must view the garden! It's beautiful, and there's a small lake that is clear as crystal, with swaying trees like in E.T.!" I half yelled, squealing in excitement and forgetting where I was.

I looked around and noticed Louis and Lestat, as well as Yvette, were all seated around the huge table that was situated in the centre of the dining room. My face could have passed for the rose petals in each bowl as I approached the table and Louis raised his arm, pointing to the chair at the far end. Before I even had the chance to pull my chair back and sit myself down, Lestat was up like lightning and holding it back for me as I sat down and tucked myself in with his help.

"Thank you" I whispered, but knew he heard me when he smiled and nodded.

The tension between us was unbearable now, since he had so bravely tried to kiss me not too long ago. As I looked over to the other side of the table, I spotted my brother sitting a little too close to Yvette, who had been invited to join us given the special occasion. It came to my attention that they did not get visitors often, and this would most likely be the first time in a long while that they ever would again.

"Christine, did you enjoy your walk?" Louis asked as everyone dug into their meals.

I was amazed to find that even Louis and Lestat had plates before them, only, they contained bowls that rested on top of the plates. In those bowls, much to my displeasure, sat a pool of scarlet blood. From where I sat it looked very much like tomato soup, which I was much more inclined to think it was for the time being. If I so much as thought of human blood being devoured whilst I ate the cheese and lettuce around the edges of my plate, it would bring it all back up again. Daniel glanced over at me briefly, questioning me with his eyes as I brought one hand up to cover my mouth. I heaved a little, despite my eagerness to keep things running as smoothly as possible so as not to anger my brother.

"I'm sorry, please excuse me" I said, standing rather quickly and rushing out of the room.

Once out in the hall and free from the wandering eyes of both mortals and immortals in the other room, I breathed a sigh of relief and tried to contain my involuntary urge to heave all over again. Just the thought of them sipping the blood from their spoons as easily as we mortals ate our soup gave me a look of disgust. As I leaned carelessly against the wall behind me, a thought crossed my mind. I wondered, even though we were now in different rooms, whether or not Lestat was able to process everything my head was screaming out to me. At present, the only thoughts running through my mind were quite sickening. I was having an inward debate over whether or not they spent every night drinking the blood of mortals from posh bowls with equally posh cutlery, or they simply went out to hunt and feed in a way that came naturally to them. It made me think long and hard about my sanity, and I had started to question why I agreed to come here.

_It is a little late for that Chérie. I am afraid your brother planned your visit for a week or two. There is no chance you can get back home on your own._

His voice entered my head as though he was posting a letter through a letterbox. It startled me at first, and then I allowed his words to sink in. Speaking of sinking in, I wondered how painful it might be to feel his fangs plunging into the skin of my neck, but quickly shook those thoughts aside when I felt his presence somewhere nearby.

"You are quite a feisty one aren't you?" he said, walking toward me.

"It is late, forgive my ignorance. I'm feeling rather lightheaded, could you show me to my room?" I asked, hopeful that he would leave it at that.

As he looked over me with a smile, he nodded his head in agreement and walked ahead of me and up the staircase just a bit further down the hallway. Further paintings hung there, and as we walked in silence, all I could think about was who might have had the time and patience to create such skilful work.

"They belong to Marius, for the most part. Louis spent some time painting a few years ago, but I could not tell you which were his." Lestat said, slowing his pace and walking beside me.

"They are all beautiful, truly. I have spent the last several years of my life painting, and yet I cannot capture any amount form of emotion. It's such a difficult hobby to have, unless you were born with a graceful knowledge of what works and what does not work. Tell me, do you not paint, Lestat?" I asked.

My rambling seemed to have amused him, as he continued to walk beside me with a grin on his face.

"No, ma cher. I have other talents" he said, whispering the last part as though it were a secret.

It intrigued me, but I pressed no further on the matter as we stopped before an ivory coloured door. Lestat, being the gentleman I expected him to be, opened the door for me and stepped aside as I walked in after him. He waited patiently inside the doorway, leaning against it with his arms folded as though waiting to hear my opinion. I understood what he was doing, and so inspected the room as closely as I could, wanting to be sure there was nothing out of order. I often found faults in everything, though they were more or less minor, but this room was perfect. Utter perfection and nothing more. My blood boiled at the fact that I couldn't amuse myself by reporting to him that there was something I did not like. I caught him smiling like an idiot and realised again that he was reading my thoughts. I scoffed. That was one thing that would get very boring in time, but was increasingly annoying at present.

"Stay out of my head, please" I said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

The bed was nothing like what I would have imagined it to be. It had ivory coloured covers, sheets and pillow cases. Almost everything in the room was of the same colour, only of different tones and textures. In the back of my mind I was dying to say something about that, but chose otherwise.

"Thank you, this is perfect" I said.

As I turned my head toward the door to smile at him, he was no longer there. The door had been closed, and my inner torment screamed out that perhaps it was simply a trick. Perhaps they had planned on killing us all along, and had locked the door from the outside. I laughed at my silly ways, but nevertheless, jumped up from the bed and ran for the door. It opened rather easily and I felt guilt wash over me. But, what was one to expect when in the company of the undead. Things such as that were more than likely to happen, as they could not and should not be trusted at the drop of a hat.

_Be careful, Chérie_

I cursed aloud for forgetting just how easy it was for him to read my thoughts. I tried to shut out everything and play a little melody in my head, hoping it would keep words from running through it. I sighed in defeat, walked over to a rather large looking wardrobe and peaked inside. There, in all its glory, was an outfit that I assumed I was supposed to wear during the night for as long as I stayed here. I was hoping and praying that a little shopping spree was on my agenda this week, for I refused to walk around in what I was currently wearing for the whole two weeks. The idea of it was not very pleasant. As I tried to untie my corset, I was tossing about all kinds of profanities. There was absolutely no way I could do this by myself, and would rather the men in the house did not do it either. I poked my head through the door just in time to see Yvette wandering down the hallway and toward my room. I beamed, thankful that someone could help me get this blasted thing off. Sure, they were beautiful to look at and touch, but to wear, they were hell.

"Do you need some help, miss?" she said, stopping just outside.

"Please, and call me Christine" I said, allowing her to step inside.

Yvette eyed my corset and grinned as she realised what the problem was. I had completely forgotten to unzip the back before untying the strands of lace. I ended up laughing loudly and she soon joined in before I was free of the death grip it had on me. As soon as I removed it from my body, I felt an enormous amount of relief and freedom. Thanking the woman who I hoped would soon become a close friend, I told her I was going to tuck in for the night. Smiling, she nodded her head and collected my clothes after I'd changed into the beautiful chemise baby doll. It was baby blue in colour and had lace around the top in the shape of snowflakes. I wondered who had picked this out, but thought it must have been Yvette, or at least believed she might have been involved somehow given how womanly and comfortable it was all in one.

Just as I climbed under the covers, there was a knock at my door.

"Come in" I said, making sure nothing was visible.

In walked Daniel with a very large grin plastered on his face. He walked toward the bed and sat on the edge as he continued to grin like an idiot. All I could do was laugh and wait for him to tell me what had happened, and what he found so highly amusing.

"I think we might be staying a little longer than I intended. Yvette, well, lets just say she is quite a woman, though she fails to realise it. I'm going to stick around and write about the men of this household some more, all the while expanding a potential relationship with their maid." he said.

His grin grew wider as he looked at the horror written all over my face. My mouth was hanging open in shock and I just about managed to speak my thoughts. In my head I was saying one thing, whilst I told him something very different.

"Well, whatever you wish for, you know I'll go along with. Just, don't leave me around this manor too long on my own, if you do decide to wander off anywhere. It's not exactly homey, is it?" I said.

My eyes darted around the room as though someone was listening through them to our every word. Daniel's eyes followed suit before he burst into laughter at how ridiculous I sounded. My heart ached at how cruel he could be sometimes, and I smacked him upside the head, knocking his reading glasses off his nose and onto the floor at his feet.

"Ha" I said, folding my arms in a huff.

"Alright, alright. I promise, I won't go anywhere without you from now on" he said, leaning over to peck my cheek before walking out of the room.

I sat up in bed for some time, pondering on what I might be able to do during our stay here. Given that I had not yet had the chance to look around, I decided that would be on tomorrows schedule, straight after breakfast of course. I slid down under the covers, and as soon as my head hit the feathery pillow, I was out like a light on a Christmas tree. My slumber was dreamless for once, for the most part. What I believed was a dream, soon turned out to be real. I had risen from my bed, opened the door and began creeping slowly through the hallways of the manor. It was pitch black outside, as I noticed through every window that did not have curtains drawn, and it felt almost as though something outside was watching everything on the inside. I shuddered, realising how cold it was in such thin material. The only thing keeping me warm were my thigh high stockings, that I was incredibly thankful for and would have to thank Yvette soon.

The heeled slippers she had picked out were perhaps something I could have avoided as I stumbled about on the fluffy rub that stretched throughout the halls of the manor. I'd have chosen to walk on the marble had I not thought I would wake anyone up.

_Someone holds me safe and warm_

_Horses prance through a silver storm_

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory_

I whispered the words to one of my favourite songs as I continued to walk uneasily through the hallways and down the winding staircase to the ground floor. Along the way, the faces of certain paintings seemed to glimmer in the moonlight that fell upon them. I marvelled at the contrast and brushed my hand over one or two of them. They were rather large in size, almost half the size of the front door.

I could not count the number of times I tripped over in my feathery slippers, but knew come morning that my feet would have suffered severely. The faint sound of music filled my ears as I walked around as quietly as possible downstairs. I figured since I'd woken up in the middle of the night and was no longer tired enough to sleep, I might as well explore the manor. As I listened intently, trying to find the source of what sounded very much like a grand piano, I spotted a stream of light at the end of the hall. Someone was in that room, and that someone had left the door open a little. They were also playing beautifully, and as I recalled my previous conversation with Lestat, I wondered if it was he who was playing the piano.

I crept as close to the open door as possible without making a sound. No matter how hard I tried, I realised that vampires had extensive hearing, so even if I thought I was silent, he may very well hear my movements as I approached. Failing that, he had probably smelt my scent the second I had reached the ground floor.

"You are up late" a voice spoke, just as I looked through the small gap in the door.

"Yes, I.. well, I was dreaming and then suddenly woke up for no reason at all. Perhaps your melodies woke me without my knowledge" I said, walking into the room and closing the door behind me.

"My apologies then, Chérie" he said, not taking his eyes from the music he was following.

I stood awkwardly in the middle of the room for a little while, waiting for him to stop playing and talk with me, but he continued to play as though I was not even there. This angered me, but I chose not to speak my words, or think them. Instead, I approached his side of the piano and took a seat directly beside him. For a moment, he froze in wonder. His hands slowed their timing and what was once a beautiful melody turned into a god awful mess that sounded like the attempt of a small child who could not yet read. Despite the tension that was building inside him, and the angry look on his face, I laughed quietly.

"You, must go back to your room, it is not safe for you here" he said, turning his attention away from me.

I was beginning to feel hurt by his need to brush me off and stay as far away from me as possible. Given the way he had acted in the garden earlier today, I would have thought he'd enjoy being close to me. I know I was enjoying it.

"But I am not tired. I cannot fall asleep and there is so much I want to do" I said, sighing heavily.

Before I could blink, he had turned his body around to face me and had one hand around my neck. Even though his grip was not painful, the idea of what he might do next disturbed me. He held so much anger in his eyes that they shone an ungodly shade of blue. They were almost pure white under the faint light of the room. I stiffened, my mouth closed tightly, along with my eyes.

"I'm sorry" I managed to choke out.

His hand fell away from my neck instantly, and the fierce look that was in his eyes vanished.

"Forgive me. I see now why you fear my kind so" he said, clearly ashamed.

"Au contraire, monsieur. I found it quite.. exhilarating" I said, my French pronunciation very fluent.

Lestat seemed taken back by my use of his own language, and a smile grew on his handsome face as it had done so many times this evening. Somehow and somewhere, I believed that smile would be the death of me.

"Come" he said, extending his hand.

After what had just happened, I was a little frightened of touching him, or allowing him to touch me again for that matter. When he realised I was somewhat reluctant, he grabbed my hand in his and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. Ever so slowly, he lifted his eyes up to meet mine as his lips lingered on my skin. A shudder ran through my body and my lips quivered as he looked longingly at me. All I could do was look back at him, into those icy blue eyes that seemed to capture my very soul.

Minutes passed and still he had not raised his head, nor taken his eyes away from mine, until I looked off in another direction. A small chuckle released from his throat, but when I turned back to confront him, he had stood from the bench and pulled me up beside him.

"I would like for you to walk with me, there is much to show you, if you really are not tired" he said.

Like a child, I beamed at him and his offer, nodding my head furiously which amused him some more. I soon straightened myself out though. As we walked out of the room and along the hallway, the knowledge of his hand still holding mine made me blush. My cheeks were burning, but I could not remove my hand without seeming rude, so I tried my best to avoid further misfortune.

"Lestat, in all the time you have lived, as both a mortal and vampire, were you ever betrothed?" I asked, wondering.

He stopped in his tracks and immediately dropped my hand from his. Before he even spoke, I knew my question should have been kept to myself. He turned on me slowly, stepping closer and closer until my back hit the wall, leaving me vulnerable to whatever he might say or do. I was not prone to causing such trouble, but my mouth sometimes did run away with me, making me seem very ignorant. Carelessness was another of my unfortunate traits, and as he stood as close as possible, breathing his ice cold breath on my neck, I knew whatever he was going to say would not be pleasant or agreeable.

"I was not, not in the way you speak of. I did love someone, very much. It was not meant to be" he said, his every word striking me like a sword at how much depth hid behind them.

All I could manage was a very sorrowful exhale, not realising I had been holding my breath since he had first stopped as though frozen in time. He stayed close to me as he waited for some form of response, but as I fought with myself to say something that wasn't stupid, I couldn't quite come up with anything. Lestat, despite having just angered him, seemed to grin at my current disposition.

"Forgive me, Lestat. I would never intentionally try to bring you memories you have tried for so long to forget" I said.

I was looking down at the velvet buttons on his jacket as I spoke, fearing his eyes would see right into my soul and know just how afraid I was. There was always something to fear when it came to death, whether it was the act itself, or the mere mention of anything involved. To me, these creatures of the night, with their ungodly eyes, inhumane beautiful looks and sharpened canines were the epitome of all that death is. These thoughts ran through my mind faster than I could examine them, but when his thumb lifted my chin so I would look at him, a great sadness lingered in his eyes. His eyes, that were only moments ago shining almost as white as snow, had returned to their pale baby blue shade and were deep with regret. His inner torment was evident now more than ever. Through the pain in his eyes, to the way in which it danced across his features, eating slowly at his sanity. Somehow, I realised in that brief moment just how fragile he was. It made sense to pinpoint the root of that pain toward whoever had hurt him so badly all that time ago.

"You wanted to show me the manor?" I asked, hoping it would lighten the mood.

I smiled as best I could whilst trying to process all that was happening. He might not have spoken of how badly he was hurting inside, but his eyes told the whole story and left nothing to the imagination. The one he had loved must have been terribly cruel to him, perhaps even left him and declared their hatred of him. Even if I had known Lestat only a short while, it was clear to me that despite his cold exterior and wicked ways, there was much more to be found. There was, without doubt, a double of Louis buried somewhere between his unbound anger and his moments of realisation.

"Indeed" he said, backing off after a moment of hesitation.

As soon as he had stepped back away from me, I sighed defiantly at the fact that he could have very well kissed me, but had chosen otherwise. It was my own fault of course, but after pulling myself together, I caught up with him as he was already walking down the long hallway. Forgetting that the heels on my slippers were rather high and thin, I tripped on the rug beneath my feet and flew forward as though flying through the air. Somehow, the images in my head were of Lestat and Louis gliding gracefully through the cool night air when no one was watching, waiting patiently for a delicious looking meal. My eyes shut tightly and my hands covered my terrified face as my body fell almost in slow motion toward the floor.

"You're okay" a voice whispered.

I had not noticed him even moving to try and catch me, but somehow he managed. He held me now as though we had just completed a waltz, and he had dipped me toward the floor. I clung tightly to the sleeves of his jacket and stared mesmerised into his beautiful eyes. Lestat, who looked just an entranced as before, stared right back into my own before an unseen force pulled his face lower and lower.

His lips hung barely inches over mine when a loud shriek echoed through the manor, pulling us apart.

Though we both panicked, he did not drop me. He swiftly pulled me back up to a standing position before rushing off down the hall. I stood there for a moment, dazed completely. I lifted my fingers up and brushed them lightly over my lips at how close he had been once again. Fury built in my veins at him not kissing me first and then tending to whatever sound had alerted him, but I made a mental note to grab the back of his head the next time he tried, so he would succeed.

Another shriek echoed through the manor, bouncing off the walls and scaring me half to death. I rushed back in the direction I had come from, racing up the never ending staircase and into my room. I was pleased to find a lock on the door from the inside, and proceeded to barricade myself where it would be safer. The horrible sound continued for another few minutes, leaving me to sit on the edge of my bed with two pillows over my ears to shut out the noise. It sounded to me like a tantrum, but never had I heard such screams from a human before. I pulled the pillows away from my ears and thought I'd gone deaf when all was silent. Not even the faint sound of footsteps, voices or the wind was present. It seemed like a dream world. For no reason at all, I smiled. The corners of my lips lifted upward and I fell back on the bed in pure bliss.

A knock came at the door, and I bolted upright before jumping off the bed and unlocking the door. There, in all his glory, stood a very saddened looking Louis. He had tears dripping down his cheeks and his hair was a state. I barely knew him, and yet felt I was entitled to console him as I pulled him into a long embrace. His arms wrapped around me so tightly that I could hardly breathe, before he let me go and tried to talk in a manner that I would understand.

"You and your brother should go. It is not safe for you here anymore" he said, grabbing my arm.

He dragged me harshly through the hallway and down the stairs that I had run up earlier. His grip around my wrist was so painful that I had to cry out and tear my arm away from him. He stopped for a moment, a look of rage on his once calm face. I gulped, backing up a little as he stared me down.

"Understand this. Lestat and I took in a young girl some years ago, and when she became unstable, we had her shipped off to live quietly in another country, with more of our kind. She was once a beautiful and enchanting girl. Never would she condone murder, and yet she has done something unforgivable. I tried to stop her, but she brought with her a man I never thought I would see again, and he is as strong as he is stark raving mad. You must leave now" he said, all the while holding my arms and shaking me roughly.

I was so confused by everything he had just told me, but melted a little at the idea of Lestat and Louis taking care of a little girl. Still, his emotions were all over the place and when he gripped my wrist again and continued pulling me toward the front door of the house, I tried in vain to yank my arm back.

"What is going on?! Where is Lestat? Can't you both take care of this? She's just a little girl no?" I asked, though each question came out as a yell.

Louis said nothing as he pulled me into the dining room. There, stood Yvette and Daniel looking worse for wear. In front of them, on the floor, was something I could not quite see as Louis blocked my path for a moment and spoke to me. He had calmed down considerably, feeling it would work best.

"She has gone now, but I cannot risk the lives of you both if she comes back. Please, take your brother and go, he will not listen to me." he said.

I was fighting back tears as I glanced over Louis' shoulder and saw Yvette crying into her hands. My brother, who was consoling her as best he could, had a look of disgust on his face. Not listening to anything else that Louis was telling me, I pushed by him and ran into the room. Before I could reach either of them to find out what was wrong, Daniel released Yvette and blocked my path, pulling my head into his chest as quickly as he could. It seemed almost as though he was shielding my eyes from something they did not wish to see, but my confusion turned to annoyance at what was going on. No one was actually telling me much of anything, and I had not once spotted Lestat on our way here.

Angrily, with a fury I did not know I had inside of me, I pushed my brother back and as he stumbled, shocked at my reaction, my face fell to the floor. There, just a step away from my feet, lay Lestat. His skin was an even paler shade of white and his eyes had lost their glisten. His body no longer looked like a body, it more or less resembled a skeleton. The sight of blood that had bothered me immensely during dinner no longer made me feel even a little nauseous as I gasped at the pool of scarlet around him. From what I could tell before running to his side, his throat had been slit. Now, I understand why Louis felt the need to keep me and Daniel as far away as possible, and it explained the tears he had cried earlier. I dropped down beside Lestat's lifeless form and bellowed into both of my hands. Louis and Daniel both stood over me as I cried, each laying a hand on my shoulder and trying their best to lift my spirits. That was not going to work. My brother seemed more than a little confused by my reaction, given that I'd not long ago met these two men, and yet here I was acting as though I had just lost a husband.

"Christine, you and Daniel must leave, as soon as you can. It is not safe for you anymore" Louis said.

I smacked both their hands away and growled in anger, turning to ranting and cursing when it didn't make me feel any better. Silence filled the room, and as I looked around after taking deep breaths to calm myself, I noticed I was alone. I sobbed once more and the sound bounced off the walls and right back to me. Another strange sound entered my ears as I lay face down on the floor, my face flat against the marble. I did not care, and it infuriated me as to why I was feeling like this over someone who was already dead.

Some time later, I awoke in the comfort of my bed. Unfortunately, it was not my own bed, but the bed which I had been given during my stay here with Daniel. I could not recall climbing the stairs on my own, so figured either Daniel or Louis had carried me. How sweet of them, I thought. As I remembered all that had happened before I must have passed out, loud cries ripped through me as though my body was being pulled apart. Lestat, the man I was slowly developing feelings for, was dead.

"Chérie, what is wrong?" a voice whispered, appearing from the shadows.

My eyes bugged out of my head and as I squinted them to get a better look in the dimly lit room, I just about collapsed back onto my pillow. Like lightning, I was up and across the room to run, but found the door locked from the outside. I wondered how on earth he could have done that, as he was already in the room. I was puzzled beyond belief, and more than a little frightened at the fact that he was still very much alive.

"How..? and why?" I muttered, my back pressed right up against the door.

My face had turned a deathly pale colour as I watched him stumble slowly towards me. I could only make out the shadows on his face, and nothing more. As soon as he reached me, I gasped at the sight of him. He looked no different than earlier when he was lying in a pool of blood. His skin resembled that of a snakes, pale green with brown patches here and there. He lacked any kind of muscle in his face, which really gave me a fright as he looked like he belonged in the zombie family.

"Do not be afraid, and please do not think of screaming. Louis would have a field day with this" he said, not taking his eyes off me once.

I gulped before I spoke.

"But how?" I repeated.

"There are ways, though I am not fully regenerated. I had hoped you would offer your services" he said, that infamous grin appearing.

I realised almost immediately what it was he was asking of me, but I didn't quite know how to respond. Nor did I really want to offer him anything like that. I gagged when he bared his teeth at me, for they were no longer crystal clear. In fact, they were the same shade as his face, which was even more sickening.

"Would you not be better off finding a chicken or something?" I asked, "My brother said Louis once spent the first few years of his immortal life feeding off the blood of animals."

Lestat released a laugh that had been building up in his throat since he had startled me before.

"Unfortunately, no. My preference lies only with mortal beauty, especially of those who cannot see it in themselves." he said, whispering the last part as he looked straight into my eyes.

Despite his obvious horrific looks right now, I blushed. He noticed, smiling without showing his teeth and raising one hand to my neck. He moved his hand around a little, grasping the back of it and stepping closer to me until our bodies were as one. I moaned involuntarily, earning a deep chuckle from him.

"It would seem you don't mind as much as you make out you do" he snickered.

I closed my eyes over tightly as arm slipped around my waist, holding me tightly against him so I would not try to escape. I would have to let him now, for I knew that if I tried to get away, he may very well kill me. I took a deep breath, and with my eyes still closed, told him to go ahead and take what he needed. Ignoring my shaking body, he lightly kissed up and down the left side of my neck, teasing me and trying in his way to ease what was about to come.

Before I could change my mind and object to him drinking from me, he plunged his teeth deep into my neck, taking care not to rip my flesh in the process. The awful sensation was overwhelming as I clung desperately to his open shirt. I clawed at the sleeves in a poor attempt to get him to stop, but he only held me tighter against him as he drank from me. I felt the surging of blood running through my veins and into his mouth, almost like a fast flowing river.

When he eventually pulled away, my head dropped back painfully against the door. It took some time for me to focus my eyes once again, and almost instantly, my body regained all the strength it had before he had sipped life out of me. I stared openly at the ceiling for a moment, realising that his arm was still around my waist, and his hand was still holding onto my neck.

"Merci" he whispered, removing his hand from my neck, but keeping a grip around my waist.

I dared to look at him, and was blown away once more by his astounding beauty. The real shame was that he knew he was gorgeous, and knew not of modesty. He paraded about the place looking like a prince, and believed that he was indeed just that. His smile had faded, and he now looked into my eyes with a hunger for something more. I stared back into his, allowing one of my hands to stroke a few strands of his golden coloured locks. He had tied his hair back with a black bow, and his features were more dominant now than ever. I continued to let my fingers curl into his hair, marvelling at its softness and wondering how on earth I could get mine like that. He chuckled, and again, I knew that he had read my mind.

With his arm still around his waist, he brought his other hand up and bit into his wrist. I winced at the sight and turned my head away momentarily, before he told me to look at him. He filled his mouth with his own blood and leaned in closer, and straight away I knew what had to be done. As we both inched closer, our lips now a breath apart, I was waiting for something else to happen, something that would break us apart, but it never came. I was in a state of bliss when his lips finally connected with mine after all this time, but soon frowned when he opened his mouth, pouring the blood into mine with his tongue. I swallowed it all, despite the foul taste and texture. Knowing what I was drinking did not help, but no matter how many times I tried to tell myself it was only raspberry juice, my brain reminded me that I was an idiot.

_It is a must, ma cher, you have to take it_

Lestat had entered my head again, invading my privacy. I acknowledged him still, doing as I was told. Once the blood was settled in my stomach, I wanted badly to pull away and heave a few times, but Lestat would not move away. He began to kiss me, properly. His lips moved with ease and delicacy against my own, and when he pushed his way into my mouth with his tongue, I went wild. The pain that was building my body could not have stopped me from having my way with him. He had put it off for far too long, and I think he knew what to expect at this point.

"Lestat, can I keep you forever?" I whispered into his mouth.

He pulled an inch away from me, opening his eyes and looking into mine, giving me the answer I wanted without even saying a word.


End file.
